Chapter Fourteen

Jennifer and One-Third

Hermione looked up from the books she was sorting and broke into a smile. Jennifer could tell straight away that she knew already. Ginny had told her, Jennifer mused, who probably learned it from Harry… which probably meant the entire school knew by now. The looks Jennifer received by passing students confirmed that. Jennifer chuckled, shaking her head. And she thought she had been a novelty before.

"Good Afternoon, Madame Granger. Would you happen to know if the library had any books on... er… potions made for certain conditions?" Jennifer asked quietly.

"We don't, I already looked," Hermione admitted. "I was going to go ahead and pull them for you."

"Oh well, I knew it would be a long shot," Jennifer said with a chuckle.

"Well, I have to go to Flourish and Blotts to pick up some new books, so why don't you come with me and we can go look for some?" Hermione suggested. "It should be all right for you to use floo powder, after all." Jennifer thought about it a moment. Well, she did need the books, and she felt fine, and she could stock up on some formulas later that evening while preparing for tomorrow's classes.

"Sounds like a good idea. When's your next break?" Jennifer asked.

"In just a few minutes, hang on a moment," she smiled, working to finish up her stack. Jennifer sat down, watching Hermione thoughtfully.

The girl had definitely changed a lot over the summer… or perhaps it was only her focus was changed. The same zeal she had put in her schoolwork was now concentrated on her work at the school and her extended studies with Minerva. Her goal was clear to everyone who knew her; she wanted to teach, and Jennifer had little doubt that Hermione would soon get her license and join the regular staff. And then Jennifer wouldn't be the youngest professor on staff, she thought with a smirk. Not that she was all that young anymore; Jennifer now had ten years between her and the upper students, even if she didn't look it.

Dame Rachel, one of the more dependable of the Hogwarts' ghosts, arrived for her shift, and the books that Hermione sorted began floating back to their places as she stepped away from the desk.

Jennifer and Hermione grabbed their cloaks and stepped into the fireplace, and within a minute Jennifer found herself standing once again standing in the Leaky Cauldron pub. The warm greetings cheered Jennifer up considerably, as they worked their way by and into the busy alley. When they approached the bank, Jennifer saw a tall familiar redhead standing in front of the bank writing in a small notebook. Ron looked up. He was a bit surprised to see Jennifer, but smiled and waved at them.

"Hello Ron. How's the star reporter of the Daily Prophet?" Jennifer winked at him.

"Oh, she's all right, I suppose," Ron replied.

"Ron, she meant you," Hermione said.

"Oh! I'm fine, but not even close to being a star reporter yet. I'm on special interest stories," he said, rolling his eyes. "You know, local man grows twenty foot nightshade plant, young wizard gets perfect score on OWLS at the age of ten… that sort of thing. I did have a front page story last week, though. Of course, there was nothing going on last week, really."

"He's just being modest. He actually has a fan base, and a lot of people say they only subscribe to the paper because they know they can trust his stories," Hermione said supportively.

"You know, now that you mention it, perhaps it's about time I start picking up the paper again. That is, as long as they're not condemning me every time I lift a wand like they did last year," Jennifer chuckled as they entered the bank.

"Oh, not anymore, Jennifer! You're a national heroine, what with defeating Pettigrew and all…" Ron said, but was cut off by a frowning gaze by Jennifer. "Really, it's not like it used to be. Besides, the paper is too busy criticizing the Ministry's handling of the Death Eater investigations to pick on anyone else right now. In fact, I have to go to the Ministry after my break to see what's going on over there today."

"Just don't let them use you," Hermione said.

"Hermione, in this game, it's all about getting used," Ron chuckled. "But that's all right; the more I do what they say, the less dispensable they'll find me."

Jennifer was handed a letter by the goblin. It was a court order, Jennifer knew, and as she read it, she felt her temperature start to rise. Her knuckles turned white in disbelief.

"What's wrong, Jennifer?" Hermione asked.

"It appears that our dearest of friends, Lucius Malfoy, has put a lien on the Craw vault for debts that my father owes him. It is 'sealed pending further litigation, '" she read. "'Since the vault contains items from the estate holdings which should have defaulted to debts, it is summarily being assessed as the property of Thomas Craw and therefore liable to reimbursements of those debts until such time the court matter is settled and debt paid.'" Jennifer growled, causing some of the other patrons to edge away from her. They did not know what was bothering the famous professor, and they really didn't want to find out the hard way. "Just get me in my personal vault! I'll take this to Vallid myself," Jennifer snapped at the goblin, putting her key down.

"Boy, he didn't waste any time, did he? He's only been out of prison a few days and he's already making waves," Ron said, making a note in his book.

"Well, if he thinks I'm going to let him get away with this, he's dead wrong," Jennifer said with determination. "You know I really never cared about the money, but I'll be damned if I see a Malfoy get a hold of it, let alone all those cursed heirlooms."

"Cursed heirlooms?" Hermione echoed, growing pale.

"Dozens of them, going back generations, and many of them extremely dangerous outside of Craw hands," Jennifer said, growing more and more worried. "We just can't let him win this. Wait until Severus hears about it, he's going to flip."

"Remind me not to be around when that happens," Hermione agreed.

It was after Jennifer had picked out her books and went over to the counter that she realized how suspicious it looked for her to be buying The Expecting Witch's Guide and The Mother-to-Be Book of Herbs and Potions and nothing else. She quickly found herself shoving them at Hermione.

"Here, you buy them. I'll give you the money."

"Oh, no, you buy them, they're yours. You've nothing to be ashamed of. Just go do it," Hermione said, shoving them back.

"Hermione, please, have some heart! If I buy those, it'll be all over the entire country in no time. Nobody would blink at you buying any sort of book," Jennifer insisted.

"What are you two going on about?" Ron asked, walking up to them wondering what was taking so long. Suddenly he found a couple of books and a galleon in his hand.

"Go buy those for Jennifer, please?" Hermione asked. Ron read the titles and his eyes widened.

"I'm not buying these!" Ron said with surprise. Jennifer and Hermione tried to shush him to keep his voice down. He shoved them back at Jennifer, but she wouldn't take them.

"Come on, Ron, please, just tell them they're for a friend if they ask, just go do it," Jennifer hissed.

"But they'll think it's for me! I mean her!" Ron said, shaking his head. "You do it." Suddenly the books disappeared out of his hand and Ron blinked.

"Oh, come, on, Ron. There was no need for you to do that, just go get them and buy them for Jennifer so we can get out of here," Hermione said.

"I didn't make them disappear! But it doesn't matter, because I'm not buying them." Ron said stubbornly. Just then they heard someone clear his throat. They turned to see Albus Dumbledore standing there, looking at them from above the rim of his glasses.

Jennifer turned a bright red as she quietly accepted the bag from his hand, muttering a quiet thank you. A slight smile crept on Dumbledore's face and a mischievous twinkle appeared in his eyes.

"Hello Jennifer, using your lunch to runs errands, I see. It is just as well we bumped into each other. I had a little chat with Vallid this morning and she's coming by the school later. Would you do the honors of escorting her up?" Dumbledore asked.

"Gladly, sir. In fact, I need to talk to her myself," Jennifer said, showing him the lien. He nodded thoughtfully, but it was apparent from his face that he had already found out about it.

"Don't worry, Jennifer. I'm sure it'll all work out. Ron, you might want to ask about it when you get to the Ministry while you're there. Perhaps you might uncover some newsworthy information on the subject," Dumbledore added with a smile. "Well, I had better go find the tome I was looking for. I will see you later," he said, walking to the back of the store.

"Well, if that's not sanction for an article, I don't know what is," Ron grinned. "I am sure that the public will be very interested to know the kind of stuff Malfoy's already starting to pull."

"That doesn't sound very unbiased," Hermione commented as they left the shop.

"Don't worry, Hermione, it'll be unbiased, but I doubt anybody will be fooled one bit as to what Malfoy is really after," Ron replied.

In between her last two classes, Jennifer met Lunette Vallid at the gate and began to ramble at her, while Lunette calmly smiled and put an arm on her shoulder as the two of them went inside.

"There's no need to panic, Jennifer, I was expecting something like this. In fact, I got wind of it when I first arrived back here last week; his team was looking up financial records and even got investigations looking up Craw's old business deals," she explained. "Fortunately, we do have some say so as to how this is being handled, and I've requested a particular bank official to be the one to audit the vault who knows something about the value of heirlooms…have you ever met Arthur's son Bill?" Lunette asked. Jennifer shook her head. "Well, with him doing the appraising, I know that part of it will be honest. I also filed an injunction with the bank so that you won't be held responsible for anything you took out of the vault after it was given to you. The lien is as the vault is now; he won't be able to try to retro-act it to a certain time. I didn't have any trouble getting the bank to agree to that," Lunette chuckled. "Time is money, and combing records back to a specific date would take time; you've seen goblin records."

"I'm glad we took out so many items last year then," Jennifer said. She shuddered to think what would have happened had Malfoy gotten hold of Mallus Craw's painting before it was destroyed.

"They're all here in the castle now, right?" Lunette asked.

"Yes, Dumbledore is taking care of most of them," Jennifer nodded.

"Good. Now, I've arranged to meet with Bill after the audit is done, probably on Sunday. I'll drop you a note when I have time so you can join me," Lunette said, pausing in front of the gargoyle. Jennifer spoke the password and opened it for her.

"Thanks, Lunette, I don't know how I'd get through this without you," Jennifer said sincerely. The counselor paused and smiled at her.

"It's a good thing you don't have to, then," Lunette winked before ascending the spiral staircase.

Jennifer smiled softly to herself and turned towards the back stairway, glancing at her watch to check the time. As she reached the stairwell, she heard someone call her name from above. Cringing, she forced herself to smile and waved at Sibyl Trelawney.

"Sorry, can't stop and chat. I have a double starting in two minutes," Jennifer said, continuing down the stairs. But Sibyl could be spry when she wanted to be, and she couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to her.

"So, someone is trying to steal your fortune just as I predicted," Sibyl pointed out.

"It wasn't that unexpected. We knew Malfoy would try something when he got out," Jennifer said testily.

"And you're pregnant, too, so now we know why the Empress was smiling on you," Sibyl added with satisfaction. Jennifer stopped.

"Sibyl! That was completely planned! It's not exactly difficult to predict something when it's intentional!" Jennifer protested.

"Well, I wasn't informed, but it came true anyhow," Sibyl replied.

"Sibyl, each one of those cards have multiple meanings, you know that. If I was cursed to turn purple I'm sure you would find a way to see that in the cards," Jennifer said bluntly, heading back down the stairs. Sibyl thought about that, following behind her.

"No, I don't think I remember seeing that," Sibyl said. "But considering everything else, don't you think you should be keeping an eye on you-know-who maybe meeting who-knows-who?"

"Sibyl, I swear if you don't leave me alone…" The bell rang and Jennifer muttered. "Now I'm late! And there's a class full of Snake-year Slytherins in there!" she said, clambering down the stairs.

"Don't worry, dear, nothing will explode until near the end of class!" Sibyl shouted down to her.

Her third year Slytherin-Hufflepuff class was by far Jennifer's least favorite. It had been Corey who in a random comment named the third years the 'Snake-year class' because of the fact that it was the year the Slytherin students outnumbered all of the other houses two-to-one, and somehow the reference stuck to the point that even some of the professors had picked up the term. It had been a problematic group ever since they had come to the school, and the Slytherin students dominated every class and competition in their year. Fortunately her students were all in their seats when Jennifer got there, and she had Julie Brim collect the homework before making them get out their kits. This surprised them somewhat…Jennifer normally had them do labs at the end of the class, but Jennifer was not in the mood to take any chances. Afterwards, Jennifer went up to Severus' office to find him marking tests. He waved her in absently when she stuck her head in the door.

"You're not going to dinner tonight?" Jennifer asked.

"I have air patrol tonight," Severus explained, "so I thought we might have dinner here. I think I'll take Ruby, if you don't mind. She probably needs the exercise."

"Why don't I go along, then we can take them both out?" Jennifer suggested, grabbing the dinner tray off the shelf and setting it on the side table.

"No, not anymore. It's too risky for you to be riding a Pegasus right now," Severus said sternly.

"What? Oh, come on, Severus, it's perfectly safe…"

"And what if she was startled by something and you fell?"

"I'll just wear my barrette."

"And what if you both crash into something?"

"Severus! Pegasi don't 'crash'." Jennifer scowled. But Severus met her scowl evenly.

"No. I want your feet firmly on the ground," he said, working to finish marking the paper in front of him. Jennifer folded her arms and turned to the wall, looking annoyed and miserable. "You can come with me on forest patrols if you like."

"You sure I won't trip over a branch or something?" Jennifer muttered. Severus smirked slightly.

"Oh come now, no one's shackling you in the dungeon. It isn't going to kill you to take it easy, and the restrictions aren't all that bad."

"That's what you think. The potions I'm allowed to have can fit on one piece of paper. I can't even take a Sleeping Potion. No Apparating, no broom riding, some of my spells have started to fizzle, and I have to wear rubber gloves and a fume mask every bloody time I demonstrate a potion. Do you know how hard it is to teach a class when you have to wear a fume mask? I have an idea, let's take turns. Next year, you can be the one to get pregnant." Jennifer grumbled.

"Yes, I'm sure there would be a lot of people who would find that amusing. As for your complaints, if you have something you don't want to handle, just ask someone to assist, it isn't as if there are not at least one or two professors in conference when you're in class. You never liked brooms, and why would you need a Sleeping Potion, anyhow?" Severus said, looking up and frowning at her. Jennifer looked uncomfortable. "You've been having nightmares again, haven't you?"

"I didn't want to worry you," Jennifer said quietly. "It's been worse ever since what happened to my father. I keep seeing myself being placed in that crypt, or in his cell…every day of his life he has to live in my worst nightmare, how am I supposed to deal with that?" Severus' expression softened.

"Actually, I think Thomas is doing rather well under the circumstances. He's greyed a bit, perhaps, but he's as strong and as opinionated as ever. He's sane, which I often questioned when he was out, and he's learned to deal with his situation with a dignity and spirit few but a Craw could have," Severus said. "You needn't worry about your father. He has plenty of people looking after him. Now more than ever." Severus got up and picked up the tray, now steaming with food, bringing it back over to the desk. "Now eat, and don't pick at it. If you had tasted the rubbish I had to tolerate in the States, you wouldn't be so picky. There aren't House Elves over there, and nearly everything comes in a box and either tastes like the cardboard it came in or is so spicy it's unpalatable." Jennifer couldn't help but grin at him.

"Yes, the House Elf thing over there is a pain. There are Brownies, but they're practically useless," Jennifer said, picking at her dinner distractedly. "So, you didn't like it over there at all?"

"Hardly," he said. "Eat." Jennifer nibbled on a roll for a moment before building up enough courage to speak again.

"So, did you meet anyone interesting while you were over there?" Jennifer asked, studying his face carefully. Severus stopped long enough to give her a blank look. "You know, interesting people."

"I didn't exactly have the time or the inclination to socialize while I was over there. In fact, besides Audi and Anna, the only other person I met was an odd wizard who ran a bookshop and wore fake satin." Jennifer smiled softly at that. "Why do you ask?"

"What? Oh, I was just curious," Jennifer said, poking at her chicken again. By now Severus had stopped eating and was drumming his fingers on the desk, knowing something was going on but not knowing quite what, glancing at his Dragonheart ring.

"Would you care to explain to me what you're so worried about?" he asked, trying not to sound testy.

"It's nothing, really, it's just… if you did meet someone, you would tell me, right?" Jennifer asked. Severus stared at her in pure disbelief of where this was going.

"You don't trust me!" he accused her.

"Oh, Severus, of course I trust you! I just want to know if you do lose interest in me, that's all," Jennifer said. Severus shoved the tray aside and took her hand, shaking his head in both annoyance and bewilderment.

"Jennifer, might I remind you I woke you from a Cosmic Sleep? We haven't even been married a year, you are carrying my child, and you're not only brilliant, you're stunningly beautiful. How could I possibly lose interest?" he asked with exasperation.

"What about the night you got back when… you know," Jennifer blushed slightly, looking down. Severus scowled at her.

"You're just not going to let that go, are you? I was exhausted. I spent five days in a place where the sun was eight blasted hours late and I had to look after a three-day potion. But believe me, falling asleep was the last thing on my mind," he assured her, pulling her chin up and gazing at her intently. "And all I could think of during the entire time I was gone was how desperately I wanted to be back here with you."

Jennifer found herself drawn into a passionate kiss, her fears melting instantly at its intensity. Jennifer relaxed in his embrace, suddenly wishing he didn't have patrol that night… and not because of any predictions anyone read in any cards.